The clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1883-1888, 1887-02-16
KINDS COUNTY.
a Graphic Sketch by the Raymond
Gazette.

During the early part of 1885 the facts
below were published in these columns.
They are reproduced in this issue for the
information of the strangers who will be
in attendance on the Interstate Conven
ton of the dairymen, fruit growers and
stock men, to be held at jackson next week:
The county of Kinds was formed in 1917,
and contains 800 square miles of territory.
1t is bounded ON the east by Pearl river,
stream emptying into the Gulf of Mexico,
and navigable il. the fall, winter and spring
to point rs miles north of jackson. Its
western boundary is Big Black river,
emptying into the Mississippi river near
Warreaton, and navigable at certain sea-
sons of the year as high up as the bridge
of the V. & NJ. Division of the Queen and
Crescent route. On the north it is Joined
by Madison on the South by Copiah.
Four railroad companies operate in
Kinds county, to-wit: The Illinois Cen
trail, running from Chicago to New Orleans;
the V. Nj. Division of the Queen and
Crescent route, from Vicksburg to Meri-
dian; the N, j. d c., from Natchez to
Jackson, and Yazoo City branch of Illinois
Central road from jackson to Yazoo City.
The first named has 80 miles of road in the
county, the second "a, the third 80 and the
fourth II, making in all III miles of track.
The Illinois Central road was originally
built by land grants from the State, as was
also the V. d NJ, though both we're after
wards bought and leased by wealthy cor
porations now operating them. The N, j.,
d G. road, passing directly through the
center of the county, was built by the COM
bined efforts of Adams and Kinds counties,
and city of Natchez, with the assistance of
many citizens of the latter city, who con-
tributed from their private purses. Adams
county donated $500, COO in bonds, Kinds
county 100000, the city of Natchez
1926, GOO and individual subscribers proba-
bly, as much as SIS, 000-making a total of
100000. This road, it may be well to re-
mark, is about to be changed from mar
row to a standard gauge, and the manage
ment he's but recently given assurance that
an extension from Jackson to Columbus,
in the eastern part of the State, would
shortly be me lie, the money having already
been contracted for with which to meet the
cost.
The population of Kinds county, accord
ing to the census of 1880, was about A, 600.
but it is safe to say that a careful count at
this time would show an increase of from
Two to three thousand. The negro popula-
ton stands in a proportion of three to one
white.
Cotton is the chief article of production,
about $4,000 bales being the average crop.
This one thing of itself, at $40 bale, ag
gregates 100000. Corn is next, large
quantity of which is every year raised,
though not sufficient to meet the demand.
Rice, potatoes, some wheat, tobacco and
oats are also produced, though these inter
ests are not given that attention which
| IN, ri nc
among the staple products. OF fruits,
there is any variety, from the apple, pear
and peach to the tiny berry that blossoms
and ripens along the way-side, or in the Sc
clusion of the forest. Terry and Byram
have monopolized the fruit business, so far
as Kinds county is concerned, annually
shipping to the markets of the west many
many thousand of dollars worth of succu-
lent peaches and other delicious varieties
of fruit. The vegetable industry also
comes. in for a share of well-merited
patronage, large number of truck patches
being necessary to supply the demands
from Chicago, st. Louis and New Orleans.
Kinds county has 81 postoffices, as fol-
lows:
jackson, 16 miles from Raymond.
Byram. II miles from Raymond
Terry, Is miles from Raymond.
Oakley, miles from Raymond
Learned, 8 miles from Raymond.
Adams, IL miles from Raymond.
Utica, ID miles from Raymond.
Raymond, center of county.
Dry Grove, 10 miles from Raymond.
Cayuga, IL miles from Raymond.
Midway, miles from Raymond.
Newman, 81 miles from Raymond.
Edwards, u miles from Raymond.
e
Nevada, Is miles from Raymond.
Bolton, miles from Raymond.
Clinton, s miles from Raymond.
ocoahontus, 10 miles from Raymond.
Bear Creek, Is miles from Raymond.
Tougaloo, % miles from Raymond.
Palestine. 6 miles from Raymond.
jackson, the State Capital on Pearl river
Is a place with about 5000 inhabitants. 1t
is the terminus of two railroads, two others
passing through it. The city contains a
number of manufacturing industries, such
as an oil mill, ice factory, compress, two
boundries, etc. The most profitable trade
of the place comes from east of Pearl
river-from counties many miles distant
Besides containing the State House, Jack
son also has the Penitentiary, Insane, Blind
and Deaf and Dumb Institutes. As origi-
nally formed, Kinds had one county seat,
but about the year 1859 an act was passed
by the Legislature authorizing and requir-
ing the Circuit and Chancery Courts then
the Probate Court to alternate between
jackson and Raymond-thus creating. what
in modern days is known as double[bar-
relied county, Not until after the late war
was the county divided into two separate
judicial districts, as distinct from each
other as Madison is from Copiah. In fact,
the division is so manifest that one guilty
of crime in the first district can only be
indicted and tried in that district; likewise
as to offenses committed in the second.
Still there is but one set of officers The
Board of Super yisors, however, notwith-
standing this condition of affairs, continued
to hold every meeting at Raymond, until
about 1870, when the Legislature was again
called upon fer relief, passing an act re-
quiriug them to hold every other meeting
at Jackson, but stipulating that the meet
ing at which the levy was made should al |
ways be held at Raymond
Raymond is in the geographical center of
the county, and has population of about |
800: It is very old town. and was for |
many years the most prosperous one In all |
this section of the country. But In the days |
of railroads which followed, her strength |
waned, her power became as the feeble |
efforts of the child, her business was cap |
tured by the depots, and ruin stared every |
citizen in the face. At this juncture, when |
hope seemed vain, an effort was made to |
baiId the Natchez and jackson railroad. All |
know the result of that effort The rail-
q shipment of few hundred bales OF cot
ton annually, she has suddenly jumped to |
1000. The territory that rightly belonged |
Il, har IL hain0 reoaiued Her merchanfe /